Experienced dependency-oriented psychological control and its impact on social anxiety : A quantitative survey study about the relation between dependency-oriented psychologically controlling parents and social anxiety in Swedish adolescents (English)

Abstract [en]

The purpose of the study was to examine the relation between experienced dependency-oriented psychological control and social anxiety in adolescents, and if there were any differences in adolescents’ social anxiety depending on the participant’s and the parent’s gender, as well as degree of experienced dependency-oriented psychological control. Data was collected via the ongoing project Trestadsstudien through a survey conducted during the spring of 2015. Dependency-oriented psychological control was measured with the subscale for DPC in DAPCS, and social anxiety with SPSQ-C. 2958 students in eight and ninth grade from twelve Swedish schools participated. Data was analyzed via correlations, t-tests and ANOVA. Results showed significant positive correlations between experienced dependency-oriented psychological control and social anxiety, as well as significant main effects in the form of the participant’s gender and degree of experienced dependency-oriented psychological control regarding social anxiety. Results also showed that boys to a higher extent experienced dependency-oriented psychological control from their fathers, and that girls experienced more social anxiety. It was concluded that experienced dependency-oriented psychological control seems like a contributing factor to the development of social anxiety, but that other underlying variables likely contribute to the anxiety, and mostly in girls. Other areas of interest for future research concerning both phenomena were pointed out based on the results. Lastly some practical suggestions were made regarding what could be done in schools to note the phenomena and help the adolescents who suffer from social anxiety and are subjected to dependency-oriented psychological control.